5-Day Classic Uganda Big Five Wildlife Safari

Your Big Five quest begins early as you head north to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the only home of wild rhinos in Uganda. Track these prehistoric giants on foot with an expert ranger before proceeding to Murchison Falls National Park to witness the Nile plunge through a narrow 7-meter rock gorge.

• 06:30 AM: Pick-up from Kampala or Entebbe and drive north through Nakasongola (approx. 3 hrs)
• 09:30–11:30 AM: Big Five Encounter #1 (Rhino): Guided walking safari tracking wild southern white rhinos
• 12:30 PM: En-route lunch stop
• 03:30–05:00 PM: Hike along the iconic Top of Murchison Falls
• 06:00 PM: Lodge check-in and sunset relaxation overlooking the savannah

Set out at sunrise across the Buligi tracks where massive herds of elephants and Cape buffaloes roam alongside active prides of lions and elusive leopards. In the afternoon, cruise up the Victoria Nile to the base of the roaring falls surrounded by hippos and giant Nile crocodiles.

• 06:30–10:30 AM: Big Five Encounters (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo): Dawn savannah game drive across the northern delta tracks
• 12:00 PM: Hot lunch and midday relaxation at the lodge
• 02:00–05:00 PM: 3-hour Victoria Nile boat safari to the bottom of the falls, viewing shoreline herds of elephants, buffaloes, and aquatic birdlife
• 06:30 PM: Evening return to the lodge for dinner under the stars

Embark on an expansive scenic transfer heading southwest through the Albertine Rift Valley. Travel past rolling tea plantations and the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, arriving at Queen Elizabeth National Park in time for an evening crater rim drive.

• 07:30 AM: Morning departure from Murchison Falls via Hoima and Fort Portal (approx. 7–8 hrs)
• 01:00 PM: Lunch stopover in Fort Portal town
• 03:30 PM: Entry into Queen Elizabeth National Park and check-in at the lodge
• 05:00 PM: Sunset scenic drive around the Katwe explosion crater belt

Spend the morning tracking big cats on the open Kasenyi plains where lions hunt Uganda kobs. Follow with a world-class afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, home to the world’s highest concentration of hippos and prime elephant herds.

• 06:00 AM: Sunrise game drive tracking lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and giant forest hogs
• Option A – Standard Predator Game Drive: Explore prime hunting circuits with your private Ngaro Wild safari guide.
• Option B – Lion Tracking Research Experience: Join Uganda Carnivore Program researchers using radio-telemetry collars to track lion prides off-track.
• 02:00–04:00 PM: Kazinga Channel boat safari with exceptional photo opportunities of bathing elephants and buffaloes
• 05:00 PM: Late afternoon game viewing along the channel track

Enjoy a final morning savannah drive as you exit Queen Elizabeth National Park. Journey eastward through Mbarara and Masaka, pausing at the iconic Uganda Equator landmark for photographs and curio shopping before your airport drop-off.

• 07:30 AM: Breakfast and morning departure toward central Uganda
• 10:30 AM: Scenic transit past the long-horned Ankole cattle country
• 01:00 PM: Lunch stop and water experiment demonstrations at the Equator monument (Kayabwe)
• 05:00–06:30 PM: Drop-off at Entebbe International Airport (EBB) or your hotel in Kampala